Woh Kaun Thi? is the first out of three Raj Khosla-directed thrillers starring Sadhana in the lead, the other two being Mera Saaya (1965) and Anita (1967). Actually, all three films have similar concepts and are all successful, although Mera Saaya is my favourite. The movie starts on one rainy night when Manoj Kumar's Dr. Anand while driving home meets a young, serious and awkward woman, whose image will chase him for a long time to come. The movie is high on suspense, and Raj Khosla handles everything very well. The script is tense, interesting and twisted, at times so much that there isn't a possible solution one would offer. The writers try to lead the audience to one particular prediction, but the movie is still highly unpredictable. I liked many of the film's scenes. The movie is aided by some melodious songs composed by Madan Mohan and sung by Lata Mangeshkar, it is technically well done and is generally well cast. While Manoj Kumar does well and is pretty decent as the confused guy, it is expectedly Sadhana who dominates this show with her beauty and ambiguity, successfully creating a mysterious, eerie character. The climax actually turns into an anticlimax which reveals all the secrets in one hit and is a bit too direct for my liking. I just felt everything was uncovered because there was no other way around. Clearly, the writers wanted to keep the mystery for as long as they could and then throw everything into one scene which clarifies it all within two minutes. But even then they failed to answer some substantial questions like how the car's wipers stopped and how Sadhana found the way visible through the car's front windowpane while the guy could not. This is a major plot hole and I wonder how the makers did not notice that. Anyway, Woh Kaun Thi? is still a memorable Raj Khosla thriller which was quite good for its time and is still worth watching today.
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Peter_Young24 April 2011
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neetivgarg3 January 2006On a rainy night, a doctor on his way back home meets a white sari clad girl. He offers her a lift and as soon as she steps in the car wipers cease working.He's even more spooked when the lady tells him she knows the way and guides him outside a cemetery. Enroute when he notices her hand is bleeding, she tells him "Mujhe khoon achcha lagta hai" (I like blood) A while later a distraught father stops his car begging him to save his daughter's life. He follows the man and comes to a manor-like house, but unfortunately the girl in question is already dead. He is surprised to see her, she being the same who he just dropped off at a cemetery a while ago. When he goes back,he encounters some policemen who tell him that the place is deserted and no-one has been living there for a while now. Thus starts off the promising premise of Woh Kaun Thi,a wonderful whodunit by Raj Khosla aided by some great music by Madan Mohan. Sadhana never looked more enticing (check her out in "Lag Ja Gale") and Manoj Kumar thankfully is restrained. The supporting cast is also good.
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ashwinslash6 April 2012I was not much fan of yesteryears Indian movies before seeing this movie. Man this movie is so captivating, it just suck you in.. The very first scene when the protagonist(Manoj Kumar) gives lift to Sadhana, and the dialogues that goes in that journey is pretty cool.. Little flaws of editing or tilt screen is easily forgotten when you consider this is made in 50s. for me movie is all bout the the leading actress Sadhana.. She luks so natural and ravishing... now I understand what was all the fuzz about Sadhana's Cut.. Watching her on screen is simply mesmerizing. If you like this you will surely watch the trilogy of Wo kaun thi, Mera saaya and anita.. I am a big fan of Sadhana so i wud recommend this movie to everyone.. 8/10 easily.
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fea-718-76522024 June 2013Splendid performances by Manoj & Sadhana.A haunting tale from Raj Khosla. A thoroughly gripping story. Songs are melodious and catchy.Manoj plays his role convincingly and Sadhana is charming as well as haunting in it.All the supporting cast has done their part convincingly.There is not a dull moment in this film.The ambiance of the film is spooky and the songs add to it. The plot is taut and keeps the audience engaged.The viewer gets intrigued by the twist and turns of the story. Sadhana is at her best as the haunting lady who makes the viewer trying to guess her true identity.The suspense is absorbing and keeps one wondering what will happen next? The songs lend an aura of mystery to the film. Great music by MadanMohan.
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bipinbhimani-080747 June 2021Why Wipers stop automatically?
Why the lady can see clearly , but Manoj Kumar can't see the roads on rainy night ?
How a person disappears, by running away fast or by mist/fog illusion ?
Why "Wife" of Manoj Kumar was not ready to meet Tantrik /Guru ?
Why Manoj kumar marries the girl without watching her face even once, even if he was a doctor and was from rich and higher educated class ?
How the villain was so confident that Manoj Kumar will marry the girl , the villain is planning or plotting to?
What was villain 's plan , to prove Manoj Kumar mentally unstable or to murder him ?
Wasn't it easy to plan accidental death of Manoj Kumar as for example in road accident, than to have such elaborate planning and killing Helen ?
Who was actual painter and singer or were both ?
Was news paper cutting of Sadhana's death was totally manufactured ?
How Sadhana remained alive in train accident and how was she kidnapped? Where she waskept ? Why Manoj Kumar believed her death without getting her dead body?
Why Manoj Kumar's mother was having cordial relation with Bahu Sadhana evenafter Tantrik/Guru episode ?
How villain managed to plant so many people to help him , example "Sadhana" ,domestic help, fake police duo, fake Budhhist monk etc etc ?
Overall, must watch movie. Best music, best Sadhana, best direction. -
jmathur_swayamprabha20 July 2010It's the time of wee hours in India and it's raining outside in Hyderabad. What can be the better situation to write a review of this movie which begins with the scene of heavy rainfall and that scene itself lends momentum to the mystery of the movie ? The opening scene picturized upon Saadhana and Manoj Kumar in heavy rainfall is itself so impressive that the viewer gets compelled to watch the full movie. Perhaps in no other Indian suspense-thriller, the opening scene is that much impressive. Manoj Kumar driving home in heavy rainfall finds Saadhana standing in the middle of the road, wearing a white saari and getting drenched without apparently unaffected by this fact. Mysterous dialogues take place between them and finally Manoj Kumar drops her near a graveyard with spellbound to see her disappearing in it with a highly melodious song echoing inside - Naina Barse Rimjhim Rimjhim. The spellbinding suspense starts now for the next two and a half hours.
Woh Kaun Thi (who was she ?) is a black and white movie released in 1964 starring Manoj Kumar and Saadhana. It is still considered a classic mystery. In fact the fact of its being black and white is a plus point of this movie as the mystery appears to be deeper with the characters appearing on the screen looking more mysterious than they actually are. The great music composed by Madan Mohan rendered further strength to the suspense and thrill of the movie and Saadhana in the title role delivered a splendid performance to make the movie as spellbinding for the viewers.
I have already discussed the highly impactful opening scene. The story moves quickly with the fact coming out that our hero, Manoj Kumar is a doctor, working in the hospital of K.N. Singh and having a love affair with Helen. Shortly Helen gets murdered and the mysterious woman, Saadhana who had disappeared in the graveyard in the beginning reappears before him in a further mysterious fashion only to disappear even more suspensefully. His mother gets him married to a girl of her choice but you can guess that when he sees her face on the first night of their conjugal life (yes, there were times in India in which the bride and the groom of an arranged marriage were able to see each other's faces for the first time on that night only), he is taken aback to see the same girl, now as his wife. Then several twists and turn keep on coming in the narrative taking the story to Shimla and the suspense is finally revealed in the climax.
The story is just very very good and Raj Khosla was an able director of his time who directed classic suspense movies like Mera Saaya and Anita too. He has handled the plot very well. The problem is with the revelation of the suspense in the climax in which the police officer, Raj Mehra delivers a long speech regarding the mystery and despite that leaves many significant questions unanswered. If you ignore that fact, you won't find any fault with the movie which contains comedy, romance and melodious music alongwith the gripping mystery. The very first scene grips you like a powerful clamp and then you are so engrossed in the narrative that you can leave the movie after seeing its climax only, not before that.
Saadhanalooks so gorgeous in the movie that it's better for you to watch her instead of reading my narration about her. And acting ? She has delivered a highly admirable performance in the pivotal role. Manoj Kumar is OK. The supporting cast includes Helen, K.N. Singh, Parveen Chaudhary, Prem Chopra, Dhumal, Raj Mehra, Ratnamala etc and all of them have performed their roles pretty well.
Technically also the movie is perfect. The aura of suspense is maintained throughout. The cinematographer has ably captured the snowy beauty of Shimla.
The discussion of Woh Kaun Thi cannot be complete without its music. Madan Mohan has composed immortal music for the movie with the classic songs of Lata like Naina Barse Rimjhim Rimjhim, Lag Ja Gale and Jo Hamne Daastan Apni Sunaai. The other songs of the movie viz. Chhod Kar Tere Pyar Ka Daaman (Rafi), Shokh Nazar Ki Bijliyaan (Asha), Tiki Riki Tiki Riki Takuri (Rafi-Asha) are also very melodious and a treat to listen.
No suspense-thriller fan should miss this movie. -
gdnish27 May 2021Great script! Kept me glued to the screen throughout the movie.
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rkstylo19 November 2017The movie has a great suspense which is only revealed at the end It cannot be guessed easily if you haven't seen similar movies. It also has an element of horror setting. Sadhna's acting is brilliant. Manoj Kumar looks handsome. Watch it for the mystery that the movie carries all throughout. There are a few moments of slow pace but overall a great thriller.
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The best suspense thriller movie ever made in indian cinema. Sadhna acting , madan mohan music and lata voice was out of this world.
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AnonymousbutDilpreet00219 March 2020First film of Raj Khosla's trilogy of thrillers staring Manoj Kumar as Dr. Anand and Sadhana as Sandhya.
It's a fine film till the end. There's a mystery factor in every frame. Though it's poor in technical aspects and video quality is not great. Modern viewers might find it boring for it's pacing. Everything else is okay .The only unsfactory thing is it's ending. After all the drama proceeding it, the ending will make you feel like, 'What, that's it'. Logically, a few questions remain unanswered. But i will recommend it for it's unconventional storyline. -
sarishadi4miles@aol.com16 April 2020Looks like the movie was inspired by the book WOMAN IN WHITE.
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It has to be one of the best suspense theillers in Bollywood. And add to that the horror element and then ever so beautiful "Lag Ja Gale" it's a beautiful piece of cinema.
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sulaimannnn8 December 2022On a stormy and rainy night a doctor named anand (Manoj Kumar) is driving and he suddenly sees a woman (Sadhana) on the road and decides to give her a lift as soon as she steps in the car the wipers stop and what makes him even more scared is that she guides him through the road even though the road is not visible in the rain he also asks her name and she says she's no one, she steps out of the car and the hero sees a graveyard the woman enters and the gates open by itself, the hero also hears a melodious voice sing a part of the song "Naina barse rimjhim rimjhim"
Meanwhile Anand's girlfriend Seema is found dead and its because of a cyanide injection, find out what happens next by watching the flim.
The flim keeps suspense to the end, the acting was great especially Sadhanas the storyline was great but I have some problems with it but I feel like it will spoil the movie, the songs were great aswell and ofcourse the most famous of them all "lag ja gale" sung by the late Lata Mangeshkar no scenes in the movie were boring and the flim was filled with suspense it is the first of the three suspense flims Sadhana did with Raj khosla and its also the best, I'd recommend you to watch it you won't be disappointed. -
disharma-2413122 October 2023Who Was She?" is a classic film that transcends time, offering a captivating narrative that unfolds against the backdrop of post-independence India. Released in 1964, this black-and-white gem directed by Raj Khosla remains a testament to the golden era of Indian cinema.
The plot revolves around Dr. Anand (played by Manoj Kumar), a character with a mysterious past. The film opens with Dr. Anand's chance encounter with a woman named Sandhya (portrayed by Sadhana), whose enigmatic presence becomes the focal point of the narrative. Sandhya, an enigmatic and ethereal beauty, is found in a dilapidated mansion, triggering Anand's journalistic instincts to unearth her story.
The cinematography, characterized by stark contrasts and chiaroscuro lighting, lends the film a timeless quality. The monochrome palette accentuates the emotional depth of the narrative, creating an atmosphere of intrigue and suspense. The film's haunting musical score composed by Madan Mohan and Raja Mehdi Ali Khan further elevates the viewing experience, with Lata Mangeshkar, Mahendra Kapoor, Mohammed Rafi, Asha Bhosle soul-stirring rendition of the title track becoming an anthem for melancholy romance.
The screenplay, penned by Dhruva Chatterjee skillfully navigates between the past and the present, weaving a tapestry of love, betrayal, and redemption. The nonlinear narrative adds layers of complexity to the characters, keeping the audience on the edge of their seats as the mystery surrounding Sandhya's identity slowly unravels.
The performances of Manoj Kumar and Sadhana are nothing short of stellar. Kumar's portrayal of Anand captures the internal turmoil of a man haunted by his past, while Sadhana brings a captivating grace to Sandhya, making her an enigma that both mesmerizes and perplexes. The on-screen chemistry between the two leads is palpable, adding depth to the film's romantic undertones.
The supporting cast, including the seasoned actors like Prem Chopra and Helen, contributes to the film's overall richness. Each character is meticulously etched, with dialogues that resonate with emotional intensity. The film's dialogues, delivered with poignant precision, have become iconic and are often quoted in cinematic circles.
As the narrative unfolds, the audience is taken on a journey through Sandhya's tumultuous past, marked by love, loss, and a quest for identity. The film masterfully explores themes of societal expectations, the consequences of choices, and the resilience of the human spirit. In doing so, "Who Was She?" transcends the confines of a mere romantic drama, emerging as a poignant commentary on the human condition.
The film's climax is a cinematic triumph, blending tragedy and redemption in a denouement that lingers in the viewer's mind long after the credits roll. The resolution of the mystery surrounding Sandhya's identity is both heartbreaking and leaving an indelible impact on the audience.
In conclusion, "Who Was She?" stands as a timeless classic that seamlessly combines elements of romance, mystery, and social commentary. Its enduring appeal lies in its ability to resonate with audiences across generations, transcending the constraints of time and societal shifts. The film's narrative depth, coupled with stellar performances and Sandhyastic craftsmanship, cements its status as a cinematic masterpiece that continues to captivate cinephiles worldwide. -
I didn't have very high expectations from this movie. While watching it, I wondered how the mystery would be solved. I was skeptical that the explanation would make sense. But the makers were able to have the solution be relatively logical.
There were a few things I had guessed which ended up being true like the fortune the main character inherited being the reason for what was happening. But the behaviour of his wife was a bit confusing which was eventually explained.
I did take issue with the way the marriage was conducted. Did Manoj Kumar's character never see his wife's face before the wedding. That seemed a bit unrealistic.
Overall though, I did like the film quite a bit considering when it was made. Finally, the music was excellent. I have been listening to 'Naina Barse' pretty much on repeat. -
coltras3514 November 2021One stormy night, a doctor offers a ride to a ghostly woman he meets on the side of the road. Later, he discovers his intended bride is identical in appearance to the ghost. Who was she and why does she haunt him?
The line "Mujhe Khoon Accha Lagtha Hai" (I love blood) uttered by the late great Sadhana to the equally great Manoj Kumar sets the scene in this nail biting mystery directed by Raj Khosla. The pace never lets up, nor does the tension as the plot unravels, the tone transitioning from horror to suspense very adeptly. Very much a high point Hindi mystery thriller genre.